Sea lions are stranding themselves on SoCal's coast with signs of poisoning by harmful algae

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Sea lions are stranding themselves connected a agelong long of the California seashore and showing signs that they whitethorn person been poisoned by a bloom of harmful algae, experts said Thursday.

The Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute said that since July 26, it has been inundated by regular reports of sick oversea lions on 155 miles of shoreline successful Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

The marine mammals are suffering from domoic acid, a neurotoxin that affects the encephalon and heart, the institute said successful a statement. The poisoning lawsuit is mostly affecting big pistillate California oversea lions, it said.

The nonprofit said it had rescued 23 animals truthful far. Coastal Vandenberg Space Force Base released photos of oversea lions being rescued from 1 of its beaches connected July 29.

The California seashore commonly sees outbreaks of domoic acerb poisoning, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA Fisheries.

This photograph provided by Vandenberg Space Force Base shows Channel Island Marine & Rescue Institute volunteers moving alongside Vandenberg personnel.

Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma/U.S. Space Force via AP

An outbreak past twelvemonth was peculiarly severe, with hundreds oversea lions and dozens of dolphins dying successful the archetypal weeks of June.

The poison is produced by microscopic algae that are consumed by shellfish and tiny food that are past eaten by oversea lions, dolphins and birds. Symptoms successful affected oversea lions whitethorn see disorientation, caput weaving, foaming astatine the rima and seizures.

Four rehabilitated oversea lions released backmost into the water successful Redondo Beach

People tin besides get sickened.